Rotary pump



May 4, 1954 IN V TOR.

- BY g Patented ay 4, 1954- UNITED ROTARY PUMP Frank M. Owen, Houston, Tex. Application May 15, 1950, Serial No. 162,094

(ill. 103-117) 18 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in pumps and refers more particularly to rotary pumps which operate at least in part upon a positive displacement principle.

It is frequently desirable in operating rotary pumps, such as centrifugal pumps, to increase the discharge pressure for suitable operational intervals without increasing the rotational speed of the pumping member. For example, in pumps supplying fuel oil to boilers or engines there are times when the fuel requirement is greater than in normal operation and it is necessary that the pump capacity be variable.

An object of this invention is to provide a pump of the rotary class which will pump liquids and gas.

Another object is to provide a rotary pump in which the rotor may turn at a relatively low speed in operation.

A further object is to provide a rotary pump wherein the pressure of the discharged fluid is not solely a function of the speed of the rotor.

Still another object is to provide a rotary pump capable of developing high intake suction relative to that of the usual centrifugal pump.

A still further object is to provide a rotary pump in which the discharge pressure and intake suction may be varied without changing the speed of rotation of the rotor.

Even a further object is to provide a rotary type pump in which the fluid to be pumped enters passages in a resilient iiowable material carried by a rotor and is forced from these passages as they are carried past a compression member during rotation of the rotor.

Even another object is to provide a rotary type pump in which the fluid to be pumped enters passages in a resilient flowable material carried by a rotor and is forced from these passages as they are carried past a compression member during rotation of the rotor in which the compression member may be moved into a central position in the rotor out of contact with the flowable material and advanced into the flowable material to change the degree of compression thereof.

Other and further objects of the invention will appear as the description proceeds.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of the instant specification to be read in conjunction therewith and wherein like reference numerals are used to indicate like parts in the various views:

Fig. 1 is an isometric view, schematic from the standpoint of relative proportions, illustrating a pump embodying this invention connected to a prime mover or actuator for driving the rotor of the pump;

Fig. 2 is a schematic isometric view of the pump and bearing housing shown in Fig. 1 and taken from the other end of the pump;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation, partially in section, along a vertical plane through the rotational axis ofthe pump shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a View taken along the lines 44 in Fig. 3 in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 5 is a View similar to Fig. 4, of the preferred modification of this invention; and

Fig. 6 is an elevational view of the hub plate and compression means of the pump shown in Fig. 5.

Referring in detail to the drawings, the arrangement shown in Figs. 1 and 2 may be considered generally as comprising a rotary pump housing 5 containing a rotor and having a bearing housing 6 in which the drive shaft extending from the rotor is journaled and a prime mover or actuator "I connected to the drive shaft for imparting rotation to the rotor. The inlet to the pump housing is shown at 8 and the outlet for discharge fluid at 9. The pump housing may have a support base It with another support II for the bearing portion of the housing 8.

Referring to Figs. 3 and l, the interior of the housing 5 will be seen to contain a rotor referred to generally by the numeral [2 and comprising a rim or annular portion having an inner part of resilient fiowable material l3. This material may be rubber, synthetic rubber, or other suitable synthetics and must be sufficiently fluid to enable it to be continuously forced through a space of smaller dimension than the thickness of the material along a radius, but sufficiently resilient that the material will always quickly resume substantially its normal configuration upon release of the compressing force.

Preferably the resilient material I3 is contained within a rigid shell l i which may be fabricated of suitable metals, alloys or the like. The shell I i has an inturned flange portion Me which provides a central opening Mb communicating with the inlet 8 for supplying fluid to be pumped into the interior of the annular or rim portion 12 of the pump rotor. A similar flange is carried at the opposite end of the rotor shell, but is shown in the drawings in dotted lines only. This other flange differs from flange Ma in that it has parts extending inwardly to provide a connection means I for securing the rotor to drive shaft I5 and may be integral therewith.

The annular or rim portion of the rotor has formed therein a plurality of circumferentially spaced passages 56 which extend generally radially through the annular or rim portion of the rotor. Preferably, these passages it are inclined relative to the radii of the rotor, the angle of inclination being such that the inner ends of the passages Will precede the outer ends of the passages as the rotor is turned. Referring to Fig. 4, a suitable angle of inclination will be seen and in this figure, it is contemplated that in operation the rotor will rotate counter-clockwise.

The housing 5 provides a cylindrical surface ii in which the rotor turns. This surface I! has recesses 18 and 35 but otherwise has a close tolerance with the periphery of the rotor rim part so as to close the outer ends of the passages It. It will be seen, however, by reference to Fig, 4 that when the outer ends of the passages communicate with the recess l8 that they then will discharge their contents into the recess and through outlet Q. Recess 35 also communicates with passages 5 for a purpose to be hereinafter explained.

A compression means is provided opposite the recess 58 so that the fiowable material is compressed into the passages I6 to at least partially fill them as they commence to communicate with the recess it. This compression means may be any suitable member that will provide a space through which the resilient flowable material must pass, in cooperation with the rigid peripheral portion of the annular rim of the rotor, which has a smaller dimension than the thickness of the flowable material. The flanges of the shell enclose this space. A suitable and preferred arrangement is a roller is which has an antifriction journal provided by roller bearings 2% upon an eccentric 2 l The eccentric 2! is keyed to a crank part on shaft 22 which extends through a hub 23 formed on the cover plate 24 of housing 5. The cover plate may be suitably secured to housing by a series of bolts not shown in the drawings. The shaft 22 is journaled in the hub and the hub preferably provides a stuffing box to provide a seal between the housing and shaft 22. Any suitable stuffing box may be used as, for instance, that shown the drawing in Fig. 3 wherein an expander ring 25 and packing element 26 is held in a recess formed in the hub by a gland 2'5 secured thereto by bolts 28. The outer end of shaft 22 is then readily accessible exteriorly of the housing and may carry an operating lever 29 keyed thereto making it possible to adjust the position of the eccentric and roller relative to the outlet recess [8.

The recess 35 in surface I? has a tap therein connected by fitting 35 to the intake line 3, as best shown in Fig. 1. This recess communicates with the outer ends of passages [8 as they move therepast and provides fluid from the intake for relieving the suction in the passages It as the inner ends of the passages leave the roller IS. This makes for a self -priming pump.

The drive shaft 85 is journaled within housin part 8. Preferably, an antifriction bearing is provided for the shaft which mayemploy roller bearing and race assemblies 30 held apart by a Spacer 3!. The shaft may carry a replaceable part 32 threaded or otherwise secured thereto around which a seal 83 is held in place by a gland nut 34 to seal between the shaft and the housing. This part 32 helps to position the inner race of one of the bearing assemblies 36. Preferably, an inner seal is also employed which may use a V- type packing element 35 in which the pressure to be held will be utilized to effect the seal in the well known manner. This inner seal prevents the fluid from contacting the bearing parts in which the drive shaft is journaled, and this is very important if corrosive fluids'or fluids having entrained abrasive materials are to be pumped.

Drive shaft it may have any suitable connection with the arbor of an electric or other type prime mover.

The edge 3! of the housing has-close tolerance with the periphery of the rotor and scrapes any solids Or abrasives therefrom to prevent scoring of the surface H.

In operation the pump housing 5 is connected with the source of fluid to be pumped through inlet connection 8 and to a suitable discharge line 9. The drive shaft i5 is connected to a suitable prime mover and the pump is then ready for operation. It will be seen that the inlet 8 connects with the central portion of housing 5 to supply fluid to the inner portion of the annular rim part of the rotor. This inner portion communicates with the inner ends of those passages if? not closed by the compression means so that fluid from the inlet may enter the passages and is forced toward the outer ends of the passages by the centrifugal force developed upon rotation of the rotor. When turned at low speeds of rotation, the centrifugal force will not be great and will serve primarily for holding the fluid to be pumped in the passages 56, so that it may be expelled therefrom as the passages are carried past the compression means or roller 19. However, it is usually desirable to turn the rotor sufficiently fast that it serves as a centrifugal pumping member. As the outer ends of the passages commence to establish communication with recess l8, the compression means will have commenced distorting that portion of the flowable resilient material surrounding the particular passage it so as to cause that passage to become partially filled with the resilient material. This partial filling of the passage acts as a piston to positively displace the fluid contained within the passage and force it into the recess [8 to further increase the pressure developed at the outlet.

The recess !8 and outlet 9 preferably should be arranged so as to communicate with the outer ends of passages it immediately as the flowable material commences to enter the passages it due to the effect of the compression means, where the material to be pumped is hydraulic in character. Where compressible materials are to be handled and the device used is a compressor, the arrangement may be such that the passages l6 are partially filled with flowable material, under the influence of the roller, prior to the passages coming into communication with recess l8, so that the pressure of the fluid to be compressed will be about that to which it is desired to compress the fluid prior to an individual passage It establishing communication with the recess It.

If desired, a constant and relatively low speed of rotation of the rotor is possible substantially eliminating the effect of centrifugal action but this is not ordinarily done. This is of advantage from a standpoint of long life of the pump and still gives the desired discharge pressure.

To vary the discharge pressure, the position of the compression means relative to recesses l8 and 35 and outlet 3 may be varied. By reference to Fig. 4, it will be seen that as the eccentric is rotated counter-clockwise, the shortest distance between the roller 19 and the shell Id of the rotor will move counter-clockwise. The amount of distortion of the flowable material of the rotor to fill a passage l6 as it is just coming in communication with recess IE will become less and less. This effectively reduces the pressure developed in the discharge opening. At the same time, this will tend to increase the suction at the intake for the passages It will leave the recess is while still more completely filled with the flowable material. Then, when the passage, having been closed at its outer end, establishes communication with the central portion of the rotor at its inner end, the inherent resiliency of the distortable material will create a suction. The degree of intake suction will be dependent to considerable extent upon the degree of filling of the individual passages l6 as their outer ends leave the recess [8 and come in contact with the cylindrical portion of surface I! at edge 3? and then recess 35, as well as the degree of inherent resiliency of the flowable material. In any event, it is possible to vary both the discharge and the intake pressures by manipulation of lever 29 so as to change the position of roller is relative to recesses 18 and 35 and outlet 9.

The cover plate 2d may be readily and easily removed from housing 5 to permit ready access to roller l9, eccentric 2i and the bearings 20. Because of this, repairs may be readily made and the size or amount of throw of the roller and eccentric arrangement may be changed to alter the working capacities and pressures of the pump.

It will be noted that the roller is is substantially cylindrical and that its length is substantially equal to the distance between the flange Me of shell hi and the opposing flange which is indicated only in dotted lines in Fig. 3. This provides a close confine for the distortable material as it passes the narrowest point between the roller and the shell so that the material is forced into the passages 16, upon distortion.

Referring to the preferred modification, illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6, the pump parts are substantially the same as shown and described in connection with the other figures of the drawing except for iaft 22a, which might be considered the equivalent of shaft 22 in the other modification. The mounting for this shaft is not concentric with the rotor but is spaced somewhat downwardly therefrom. The cover plate or hub 24a is constructed to accommodate this off center positioning of the shaft, as shown in Fig. 6. Shaft 22a has an eccentric or crank part 22b on which the eccentric bearing Qi is secured against rotation. The roller i9 is mounted about the bearing 25 with a plurality of roller bearings providing an antifriction mounting.

If the outlet recess 88 has some circumferential position upon housing 5 other than that shown in the drawings, then the axis of rotation of shaft 22a will not be spaced vertically from the rotational axis of the rotor. However, a radius from the rotor axis which passes substantially through the center of outlet 9, will make an angle of approximately 90 with a radius passing through the rotational axes of the rotor and shaft 22a.

This arrangement of the compression means is such that the compression means, by manipulation of lever 29, may be moved to a position with the rotor out of contact with the resilient fiowa'ble material thereof. When the compression means is moved from the position shown in Fig. 5 toward the recess l3 and outlet 9, it will contact the flowabie material of the rotor to compress it against the rigid outer shell. With this mounting the position at which the roller l9 will contact the i'iowable material is such that the passages it will commence to have their inner ends filled with the flowable material as their outer ends commence to establish communication with recess it. The shortest dimension between the periphery of roller l9 and the rigid shell of the rotor will be at such position that the outer ends of the passages it, as the inner ends of the passages pas this narrowest dimension, will just be reaching the scraping edge 31. In place of this eccentric mounting it is contemplated that a cam or slide mounting for the compression member may be employed to effect this same purpose but the eccentric is preferred because of simplicity of structure.

In operation of the preferred modification the rotor may be turned at such rates as to provide centrifugal pumping action with the compression means shown in Fig. 5. Then if it is desired to increase the discharge pressure from the pump, lever 29 is manipulated to move the compression roller [9 into contact with the resilient fiowable material of the rotor rim. This will develop additional pressure at the outlet. The amount of increased pressure may be determined by adjustment of the position of the compression roller 19 relative tothe rigid shell of the rotor.

The arrangement should be such that the amount of arc through which the eccentric part 22b turns in moving from the Fig. 5 position to the position of maximum compression of the resilient flow of the material will be in the neighborhood of from 30 to 45 so that the point of initial filling of the passages It by the distorted resilient material will always be about that point where the outer ends of the passages first establish communication with recess iii.

From the foregoing it will be seen that this invention is one well adapted to attain all of the ends and objects hereinabove set forth together with other advantages which are obvious and which are inherent to the structure.

It will be understood that certain features and subcombinations are of utility and may be employed without reference to other features and subcombinations. This is contemplated by and is within the scope of the claims.

As many possible embodiments may be made of the invention without departing from the scope thereof, it is to be understood that all matter herein set forth or shown in the accompanying drawings is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

The invention having been described, what is claimed is:

l. A rotary pump comprising a housing, a rotor therein with an annuiar portion having its outer periphery in close tolerance with the housing, said rotor having a hollow portion disposed radially inwardly of said annular portion and providing a common chamber bounded by the inner periphery of said annular portion, an outlet in the housing adjacent the outer periphery of the annular rotor portion, the annular portion having an annular inner web of resilient flowable material, passages circumferentially arranged about the annular portion and extending entirely across said annular portion with each passage having an inlet at the inner periphery of said annular portion so that each is normally in fluid communication with said hollow portion and an outlet at the outer periphery of said annular portion, means for distorting that part of the flowable materia} rotated past the outlet so as to at least partially fill the passages, that communicate with the outlet, with the flowable material to force fluid to be pumped from the passages and into the outlet, and a pump inlet providing fluid communication between said hollow portion and the exterior of the pump, other than through said passages.

2. A rotary pump comprising a housing, a rotor with an annular pump portion of resilient fiowable material with a rigid peripheral support shell, said rotorhaving a hollow axial portion defined by an inner periphery of said annular portion, passages spaced circumferentially about the rotor and extending outwardly through the annular portion from the inner to the outer periphery thereof, a 'compres sion "means mounted within the annular portion and adapted to contact the resilient 'fiowable material at one side of the rotor as the rotor is rotated therepast causing the material to distort adjacent the compression-means and to new into and partially fill the passages, a surface within the housing closely contactin the outer periphery of the annular portion to close the-passages, an outlet in the surface arranged to communicate with the outer ends of the passage'sthat are being partially filled with the flowable resilient material due to the action of the com.- pression means as the rotor is turned, inlet means separate from said passages providing fluid communication between the exterior of the pump and said hollow portion, and means for connecting the rotor to a prime mover,

3. The pump of claim 2 wherein the compression means is a member mounted on an-eccentric within the rotor whereby it may be moved tochange its position relative to the outlet.

4. The pump of claim 2 wherein the compression means is adjustably mounted to vary its position relative to the outlet.

5. The pump of claim 2 wherein the passages through the annular portion of the rotor are inclined relative to the radii of the rotor, the angle being such that the inner ends of the passages precede the outer ends upon rotation of the rotor.

6. The pump of claim 2 wherein the compression means is a roller, adapted in one position to bear upon apart of the inner surface of the annular portion or" the rotor and spaced from the outer periphery thereof less than the nominal thickness of the annular portion.

'7. The pump of claim 6 wherein the roller is mounted upon an eccentric rotatable about an axis spaced from and parallel to the rotational axis of the rotor, and means are provided, accessible exteriorly of the housing, for rotating the eccentric.

8. The pump of claim 2 wherein a recess in the housing surface communicates with the outer ends of the rotor passages as the compression at their inner ends is relieved and a conduit connects the recess with the intake means of the pump.

9. A rotary pump comprising a housing; a rotor within the housing; said rotor having means for securing it to an actuator for rotating it about a central axis, a rim on the rotor concentric with the rotational axis of the rotor and having its inner periphery defining a hollow space disposed inwardly thereof, said rim having an inner portion of resilient flowable material and a plurality of passages spaced circumferentially about and extending entirely across the rim with each passage having an inlet at said inner periphery so that each is normally in communication with said space and an outlet at the outer periphery of said rim; a compression means mounted within the rim adapted to contact the resilient flowable material at one side of the rotor as the rotor is rotated causing the material to distort and to flow into and partially fill the passages; a surface within the housing closely contacting the outer periphery of the rim to close "the passages; an'outlet in the surface arranged to communicate with the outer ends of the passages that are being partially filled with the fiowable resilient material due to the action of the compression means as the rotor is turned; and inlet means for supplying fluid to said space from a point exterior of thepump whereby fluid being pumped flows into said space and then through said passages from their inlets to their outlets without reversing the direction of flow of fluid in passing across the rim.

10. The pump of claim 9 wherein the rotor rim has a rigid metallic peripheral shell.

11. The pump of claim 9 wherein the compression means is a member mounted on an eccentric within the rotor and means are provided to rotate the eccentric to change the position of the member relative to the outlet, said latter means being accessible ex'teriorly of the housing.

12. The pump of claim Qwherein the compression means is adjustably mounted to vary its position relative to the outlet.

13. The pump of claim 9 wherein the passages through the rim of the rotor are inclined relative to the radii of the rotor, the angle eing such that the iimer ends of the passages precede the outer ends upon rotation of the rotor.

14. The pumpof claim 8 wherein the compression means is a roller adapted in one position to bear upon a part of the inner surface of the rim and is spaced from the outer periphery of the rim less than the nominal thickness of the 15. A rotary pump comprising a housing with a cylindrical part, a rotor mounted for rotation within the cylindrical part of the housing, the rotor having an annular rim with an outer support'shell of rigid material and a thick annular inner web of resilient flowable material, passages arranged circumferentially about the rotor rim and extending outwardly through the rotor rim from an inner periphery of said inner web to an outer periphery of said shell, an eccentric mounted within the rotor rim, a roller on the eccentric, the diameter of the roller and throw of the eccentric being great enough that in one eccentric position the roller engages and compresses the resilient material of the rim at one side to cause the material to distort and flow into and at least partially fill the passages of the contacted portion of the rim, the cylindrical portion of the housing having a recess communicating with an outlet and the outer ends of the passages that are being partially filled with resilient material, and an inlet communicating with the interior of the rotor rim.

16. The pump of claim 15 wherein the eccentric is mounted upon a shaft extending exteriorly of the housing with a readily accessible part facilitating adjustment of the rotor relative to the outlet and associated housing recess.

17. The pump of claim 2 wherein the passages through the annular portion of said rotor are inclined relative to the radii of said rotor.

18. The pump of claim 9 wherein the passages through the rim of the rotor are inclined relative to the radii of said rotor.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,086,488 Wachter Feb. 10, 1914 1,215,881 Siemen Feb. 13, 1917 1,986,202 Hutchison Jan. 1, 1935 2,070,738 Klein Feb. 16, 1937 2,336,344 Bullard Dec. 7, 1943 2,336,580 Yeatman Dec. 14, 1943 2,362,724 Shea Nov. 14,1944 

